ARTICLES ABOUT BACKSTROKE BY DATE - PAGE 3

LONDON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Missy Franklin of the United States won the women's 200 metres backstroke gold medal in world record time at the London Olympic Games on Friday. Franklin clocked two minutes, 04.06 seconds to beat the 2:04.81 set by Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry at the 2009 world championships in Rome to win gold ahead of Russia's Anastasia Zueva, who won silver, while Elizabeth Beisel of the U.S. clinched bronze. (Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

LONDON -- Tyler Clary, the U.S. teammate critical of Michael Phelps' training, won the men's 200-meter backstroke Thursday night while defending Olympic champion Ryan Lochte faded to third. Clary overtook Lochte in the last 50 meters and broke his teammate's Olympic record with a time of 1 minute, 53.41 seconds -- .37 seconds ahead of silver medal winner Ryosuke Irie of Japan. Lochte, who was due to swim the 200-meter individual medley about a half hour after this race in another head-to-head meeting with Phelps, led for the first 150 meters but finished .53 seconds behind Clary.

LONDON, Aug 2 (Reuters) - The United States' Missy Franklin was the top qualifier in heat 5 of the Olympic women's Swimming 200m backstroke heats on Thursday with a time of 2:07.54 at the Aquatics Centre in London. The other top qualifiers were the United States' Elizabeth Beisel with 2:07.82 and Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry with 2:08.14. Results Table Heat 5 1. Missy Franklin (U.S.) 2 minutes 7.54 seconds 2. Kirsty Coventry (Zimbabwe) 2:08.14 3. Meagen Nay (Australia)

By Julian Linden LONDON, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte will square off for the last time when they line up against each other in the final of the 200 metres individual medley at the London Olympics on Thursday. While Phelps has already secured his place as an Olympic immortal with a record 19 medals, including eight golds in Beijing four years ago, the stakes could not be higher for the eagerly awaited clash. For Phelps, who has been below his best in London, it is a chance for him to avenge his loss to Lochte in the 400 medley final and become the first male swimmer to win the same individual event at three Olympics.